1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of performing trial printing, a method of controlling the same, a program for implementing the method, and a storage medium storing the program as well as a printing system and a method suitable for the printing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a digital copying machine having a plurality of functions has been developed. The digital copying machine reads an image on an original by a CCD (Charged Coupled Device) and converts it into a digital signal, and performs various processing on the digital signal and then converts it into a laser signal to record an image on a sheet by electrophotography. The digital copying machine also temporarily stores the read image data in an image memory such as a hard disk and reads out the image data to form an image. By repeating this sequence a plurality of times, the digital copying machine can realize an electronic sorting function. The digital copying machine can also perform image formation of one copy using the data stored in the image memory, and continues image formation or change setting modes according to the result of user's checking of the finish of the formed image. This is a so-called “trial printing function”.
According to the trial printing function, however, all of read images are subjected to processing, and all of pages included in each copy are subjected to printing, and hence, time and supplies such as toners and sheets may be unnecessarily consumed. For example, the trial printing function may be sufficiently achieved in the case where printing is carried out for a plurality of pages, but even in this case, all of the pages are outputted on a copy-by-copy basis, which requires excess time for trial printing and unnecessarily consumes supplies such as toners and sheets.